Method and apparatus for utilizing prescribed aspect(s) of feedback object select operation to indicate user feedback of hypermedia content unit

ABSTRACT

A computer implemented method for gathering user feedback of one or more units of hypermedia content. Notice is made available to a user explaining a preestablished mapping between (1) at least one prescribed aspect of an operation of performing a predefined SELECT function to feedback objects and (2) user-indicated opinion of content units. Feedback objects comprise predetermined types of display objects provided to depart content units for different content units. Responsive to a user positioning a cursor upon a feedback object of a current content unit and performing the SELECT function, user-indicated opinion of the current content unit is ascertained by applying the preestablished mapping to the prescribed aspect of how the SELECT function was performed. Storage is initiated for a machine-readable record of the ascertained user-indicated opinion.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to computer interfaces by which people read andnavigate hypermedia documents. More particularly, the invention concernsa method and apparatus for using prescribed aspect(s) of a user'sfeedback object select operation to indicate the user's feedback of ahypermedia content unit.

2. Description of the Related Art

Besides the keyboard, the mouse is the tool of choice for people thatwork with computers. The basic functions of a computer mouse are toposition a cursor on a display monitor and to select objects using oneor more buttons. Through the years, hardware engineers have improved onthe basic mouse by adding balls, wheels, optical mechanisms, morebuttons, and variety of other gadgets. In this time, software engineershave also done their part, developing a variety of mouse functionsdesigned to improve the man-machine interface further.

Computer mice have become important tools for users to access InternetWeb pages, chiefly because most Web content includes graphics that aremost conveniently accessed by mouse rather than keyboard. Technicallyspeaking, computer mice have become integral tools for using browsers,which are software programs that allow users to view and navigatehypertext and hypermedia documents.

In the computing realm, hypertext is a user interface paradigm fordisplaying documents which branch or perform on request. The mostfrequently discussed form of hypertext document contains automatedcross-references to other documents called hyperlinks. Selecting ahyperlink causes the computer to display the linked document within avery short period of time. Hypermedia is an extension of the termhypertext, in which audio, video, plain text, and non-linear hyperlinksintertwine to create a generally non-linear medium of information. TheWorld Wide Web is a classic example of hypermedia. For purposes of thepresent application, hypermedia is taken to include hypertext.

Browsers operate upon hypermedia content as follows. Typically, a userinstructs the browser program to present a particular content page byoperating the mouse to position a cursor upon a hyperlink thatrepresents that page, and clicking the mouse. The user can also navigateinward to content pages by clicking a “forward” button, or outward usinga “back” button.

Although the foregoing well known systems enjoy widespread commercialsuccess today, the inventors have sought to further improve theperformance and utility of browsers and related systems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Broadly, the invention concerns a computer implemented method forgathering user feedback of one or more units of hypermedia content.Notice is made available to a user explaining a preestablished mappingbetween (1) at least one prescribed aspect of an operation of performinga predefined SELECT function to feedback objects and (2) user-indicatedopinion of content units. Feedback objects comprise predetermined typesof display objects provided to depart content units for differentcontent units. Responsive to a user positioning a cursor upon a feedbackobject of a current content unit and performing the SELECT function,user-indicated opinion of the current content unit is ascertained byapplying the preestablished mapping to the prescribed aspect of how theSELECT function was performed. Storage is initiated for amachine-readable record of the ascertained user-indicated opinion.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the hardware components andinterconnections of a computing system;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a digital data processing machine;

FIG. 3A shows an exemplary signal-bearing medium;

FIG. 3B shows exemplary logic circuitry;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart or of an operational sequence for receiving userfeedback of one or more pages of hypermedia content;

FIG. 5 is a simplified diagram illustrating components of a browserwindow, in a first example and

FIG. 6 is a simplified diagram illustrating components of a browserwindow, in a second example.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Hardware Components & Interconnections

Computing System

One aspect of the invention concerns a computing system, which may beembodied by various hardware components and interconnections, with oneexample being described by the system 100 of FIG. 1. The system 100includes a computer 108 of various subcomponents, each of which may beimplemented by one or more hardware devices, software devices, a portionof one or more hardware or software devices, or a combination of theforegoing. The makeup of individual subcomponents is described ingreater detail below, with reference to an exemplary digital dataprocessing apparatus, logic circuit, and signal bearing medium.

More particularly, the computer 108 includes a processing engine 102(including or coupled to a browser 102 a), feedback gathering tool 104,pointing device software 114, and various other modules 112. The browser102 a comprises a software module configured to display varioushypermedia content in human readable form. Such content includes pages,frames, documents, or other units of hypermedia content. As an example,the hypermedia content may be encoded in markup language such as HTML oranother one of many existing markup languages. Without any intendedlimitation, “pages” of content may also be used to describe any of theforegoing units or sub-units of content as well as others familiar toordinarily skilled artisans. To cite a few specific examples, thebrowser may comprise MICROSOFT INTERNET EXPLORER, MOZILLA FIREFOX,NETSCAPE NAVIGATOR, or another browser compatible with WINDOWS, MAC,LINUX, UNIX, or another operating system. (The foregoing terms incapital letters are trademarks of their respective owners)

The feedback gathering tool 104 comprises a software module configuredto gather user feedback as to content presented by the browser 102 a, asexplained in greater detail below. The tool 104 may be integrated intothe engine 102, or it may be a plug-in or other add-on component thatoperates in cooperation with the browser 102 a.

The pointing device software 114 includes drivers or other programmingneeded to convey a two dimensional cursor position from the pointingdevice 106 to the engine 102, tool 104, and/or other modules 112. Thepointing device software 114 also includes drivers or other programmingneeded to convey one or more different SELECT functions from thepointing device 106 (or another device, not shown) to the engine 102,tool 104, and/or other modules 112. Optionally, the pointing devicesoftware 114 may also include programming to provide enhanced pointingdevice features. Although mouse software is used to provide a tangibleexample, there is no intended limitation, and such software 114 asdisclosed shall include software corresponding to a variety of otheruser input devices as listed below.

The pointing device 106 comprises a hardware device operable by a userto convey a two dimensional cursor position and at least one SELECTfunction to the computer 108. Although a mouse is used to provide atangible example, a variety of other user input devices may be used toperform the same function, such as keyboard, trackball, eye gaze inputsystem, foot pedals, joystick, voice operated cursor, etc. Furthermore,cursor motion and SELECT may be effected by one device, or separately bydifferent devices. One specific example of a SELECT function is clickinga mouse button.

The display 110 provides a visual output of signals from the computer108, including output images generated by the browser, for viewing bythe user. Among other things, content of the display includes thebrowser's depiction of hypermedia content pages, and a cursor whoseposition is controlled by the pointing device 106. The display 110 maybe embodied by a cathode ray tube (CRT), plasma screen, liquid crystaldisplay (LCD), television screen, or any other suitable videopresentation device.

The remote computer 116 is an optional component comprising a digitaldata processing device coupled to the computer 108 by a link 118. Asexplained in greater detail below, the system 100 may employ thecomputer 116 to store certain data instead of (or in addition to) usingthe computer 108 to store such data. The link 118 may use technologysuch as telephone, Internet, Intranet, wireless, satellite link, fiberoptic, or any other apparatus for conveying digital data conveyance.

Exemplary Digital Data Processing Apparatus

As mentioned above, data processing entities such as the computer 108,computer 116, engine 102, and tool 104 may be implemented in variousforms. One example is a digital data processing apparatus, asexemplified by the hardware components and interconnections of thedigital data processing apparatus 200 of FIG. 2.

The apparatus 200 includes a processor 202, such as a microprocessor,personal computer, workstation, controller, microcontroller, statemachine, or other processing machine, coupled to storage 204. In thepresent example, the storage 204 includes a fast-access storage 206, aswell as nonvolatile storage 208. The fast-access storage 206 maycomprise random access memory (“RAM”), and may be used to store theprogramming instructions executed by the processor 202. The nonvolatilestorage 208 may comprise, for example, battery backup RAM, EEPROM, flashPROM, one or more magnetic data storage disks such as a hard drive, atape drive, or any other suitable storage device. The apparatus 200 alsoincludes an input/output 210, such as a line, bus, cable,electromagnetic link, or other means for the processor 202 to exchangedata with other hardware external to the apparatus 200.

Despite the specific foregoing description, ordinarily skilled artisans(having the benefit of this disclosure) will recognize that theapparatus discussed above may be implemented in a machine of differentconstruction, without departing from the scope of the invention. As aspecific example, one of the components 206, 208 may be eliminated;furthermore, the storage 204, 206, and/or 208 may be provided on-boardthe processor 202, or even provided externally to the apparatus 200.

Logic Circuitry

In contrast to the digital data processing apparatus discussed above, adifferent embodiment of the invention uses logic circuitry instead ofcomputer-executed instructions to implement processing entities of thesystem 100. Depending upon the particular requirements of theapplication in the areas of speed, expense, tooling costs, and the like,this logic may be implemented by constructing an application-specificintegrated circuit (ASIC) having thousands of tiny integratedtransistors. Such an ASIC may be implemented with CMOS, TTL, VLSI, oranother suitable construction. Other alternatives include a digitalsignal processing chip (DSP), discrete circuitry (such as resistors,capacitors, diodes, inductors, and transistors), field programmable gatearray (FPGA), programmable logic array (PLA), programmable logic device(PLD), and the like. FIG. 3B depicts an exemplary form 350 of logiccircuitry.

Operation

Having described various structural features, some operational aspectswill now be described. As mentioned above, the operational aspect of thedisclosure basically involves computer-implemented operations ofgathering user feedback as to one or more of hypermedia content units.

One Specific Example

As an introduction to the operating sequence described below, andwithout any intended limitation whatsoever, an illustration is now givento concisely explain a very specific operational embodiment. The scopeof the invention is not limited in any way to this particulardescription.

With reference to FIGS. 1 and 6, this example begins when the user isviewing a World Wide Web page upon the browser window 506. Among othercontent of the current web page, there is an item of hyperlinked text508. The hyperlink 508 qualifies as a feedback object, according to thedefinition 104 b. Whenever the user selects the hyperlink 508 bypositioning the cursor 602 thereover and “clicking,” the browser 102 aleaves the current web page and transitions to the hyperlinked web page.At the moment of “clicking,” the feedback tool 104 consults thepreestablished mapping 104 a in order to translate the cursor positionrelative to the hyperlink 508 into the user's supposed opinion of thecurrent web site. In the example of FIG. 6, if the user selects thehyperlink in a right zone 512, the mapping indicates that the user waspleased with the current web site. Conversely, if the user selects thehyperlink in a left zone 510, the tool 104 concludes that the user wasdispleased with the current web site. The tool 104 stores a record ofthe user's opinion, either locally at the computer 108 or remotely atthe computer 116.

Thus, the disclosed example permits the user to signify his opinion ofthe current Web page, without requiring any more mouse clicks thannormal, and without requiring a cumbersome graphical user interface(GUI).

Signal-Bearing Media

Wherever the functionality of any operational components of thedisclosure is implemented using one or more machine-executed programsequences, these sequences may be embodied in various forms ofsignal-bearing media. In the context of FIG. 2, such a signal-bearingmedia may comprise, for example, the storage 204 or anothersignal-bearing media, such as a magnetic data storage diskette 300 (FIG.3A), directly or indirectly accessible by a processor 202. Whethercontained in the storage 206, diskette 300, or elsewhere, theinstructions may be stored on a variety of machine-readable data storagemedia. Some examples include direct access storage, e.g. a conventionalhard drive, redundant array of inexpensive disks (“RAID”), or anotherdirect access storage device (“DASD”), serial-access storage such asmagnetic or optical tape, electronic non-volatile memory, e.g. ROM,EPROM, flash PROM, or EEPROM, battery backup RAM, optical storage e.g.CD-ROM, WORM, DVD, digital optical tape, paper punch cards, or othersuitable signal-bearing media including analog or digital transmissionmedia and analog and communication links and wireless communications. Inone embodiment, the machine-readable instructions may comprise softwareobject code, compiled from a language such as assembly language, C, etc.

Logic Circuitry

In contrast to the signal-bearing medium discussed above, some or allfunctional components may be implemented using logic circuitry, insteadof using a processor to execute instructions. Such logic circuitry istherefore configured to perform operations to carry out the method ofthe disclosure. The logic circuitry may be implemented using manydifferent types of circuitry, as discussed above and exemplified by thelogic circuitry 350 of FIG. 3B.

Operating Sequence

Introduction

FIG. 4 shows a sequence 400 to illustrate one example of the methodaspect of this disclosure. Broadly, this sequence performsmachine-implemented operations of receiving user feedback as to one ormore hypermedia content units. For ease of explanation, but without anyintended limitation, the example of FIG. 4 is described in the contextof the system 100 illustrated above. FIG. 4 is explained with aid ofFIGS. 5-6, which display exemplary browser windows 500, 600(respectively).

By way of introduction, this disclosure discusses different examples offeedback objects and feedback mapping. Basically, the feedback objectsare different items presented by the browser 102 a by which the user candepart the currently displayed content page for a different page. In theexample of FIG. 5, all hyperlinks (such as 508) constitute feedbackobjects. By selecting the hyperlink 508, for example, the user not onlyleaves the current page but also simultaneously indicates his/heropinion of the current page. In the present example, the user selectsthe hyperlink by positioning the cursor 602 over the hyperlink 508 andperforming a SELECT function such as clicking one or more mouse buttons,tapping the “enter” or another keyboard key, etc.

In one embodiment, the user indicates his opinion by the location on thefeedback object (hyperlink 508) at which the user executes the SELECTfunction. The predetermined relationship between different SELECTpositions and their corresponding meaning (user opinion) is the feedbackmapping. In the present example, the user SELECTS a left region 510 ofthe hyperlink 508 to signify that the user did not like the currentpage. Conversely, the user SELECTS a right region 512 to indicate apositive opinion. The left and right regions 510, 512 can but need notbe marked anywhere. Under other embodiments, the user's opinion isindicated by other aspects of the SELECT operation than cursor position.

Defining Feedback Objects, Feedback Mapping

Broadly, step 402 defines types of feedback objects (104 b) andestablishes a feedback mapping 104 a. In one example, these features arebuilt-in to the feedback gathering tool 104, so they are defined whenthe tool 104 is installed designed, updated, installed, re-booted, orotherwise configured. In a different embodiment, the types of feedbackobjects 104 b and feedback mapping 104 a are established in whole orpart by user input.

In the example given above, hyperlinks (such as 508) constitute one typeof feedback object. In another example, the browser's back button 502and forward button 504 also constitute feedback objects. As anotherexample, hyperlinked regions, images, graphics, or other imagery may bedefined as feedback objects. Feedback objects may also be defined toinclude radio buttons, check boxes, and the like. Furthermore, feedbackobjects may include menu items (such as pull-down menus), with twoexamples including a web browser's “Back” and “Forward” pull-down menuentries. Feedback objects may include virtually any subset of thedisplay or browser window.

In one example, the tool 104 interprets SELECTION of different regionsof the button 502 or 504 as different user opinions. In the examplegiven above, the feedback mapping 104 a specifies that each feedbackobject's left region (such as 510) indicates the user's negativeopinion, and the right region (such as 512) indicates a positiveopinion. Similarly, when the user SELECTS a left (or right) region ofthe button 502 or 504, the tool 104 interprets this as a negative (orpositive) opinion. In a different example, the feedback mapping 104 aaccommodates more than two opinions (such as four), and each feedbackobject has a corresponding number of regions (in this example four). Instill another example, the tool 104 senses user opinion on a continuum,such as rating the current content page on a scale of zero to ten, orzero to one hundred, or zero to a greater number as fine-grained aspossible considering the limitations of the display screen resolutionand mouse performance. In this case, the feedback mapping 104 aspecifies that user SELECTION of a feedback object at its rightmostpoint indicates one hundred, and SELECTING the object at its left mostpoint indicates zero or minus one hundred. Furthermore, instead of usingright/left, the feedback mapping 104 a may specify a top/bottomdistinction, where SELECTIONS toward the top of feedback objectsindicate positive opinions, and SELECTIONS toward the bottom of feedbackobjects indicate negative opinions.

In still another example, different feedback mappings may be used fordifferent types of feedback objects. For example, hyperlinks may use aleft/right continuum, whereas the back and forward buttons 502, 504 usetwo distinct regions of “up” and “down.”

In a different embodiment, instead of mapping different cursor positionsto different user opinions, feedback mapping may consider a differentaspect of the SELECT operation entirely. For example, the feedbackmapping may specify different durations of SELECT mapped to differentuser opinions. For example, a longer SELECT, e.g. mouse click, mayindicate greater satisfaction with the current URL or greater curiosityabout the linked URL. This variation may be advantageous for limitedmobility computer users who experience difficulty controlling the clicklocation with precision, but can more easily control click duration.

In still another embodiment, feedback mapping may consider still anotherdifferent aspect of the SELECT operation. Namely, user opinion may beindicated by the particular mouse button used to perform the SELECToperation. For example, a left click may indicate a positive userfeedback, while a right click indicates negative user feedback.

Providing Notice

Step 404 provides notice available to the user explaining the feedbackmapping 104 a and the types of feedback objects 104 b. Step 404 may becarried out in various ways. For example, computer 108 may provide anon-demand help screen, offline help file, read-me.txt file, or othernotice that makes a suitable explanation. In this example, the computer108 makes notice available to the user, but does not necessarily providenotice to the user (because the user might not ask for it). As anotherexample, the computer 108 may present a splash or other advisory screenwhenever the browser 102 a is started. As another example, the computer108 may display an explanatory mouse-over box that selectively appearswhenever the user positions the cursor 602 over anything recognized as afeedback object. In contrast to performing step 404 as disclosed, noticemay be provided by the optional step 405 as discussed below.

Commencing Browsing

In step 404 a, the browser 102 a begins to operate, presentinghuman-readable output pages of content from a hypermedia source,responsive to user direction through user entry of uniform resourcelocators (URLs) or other addresses, selecting back/forward buttons502/504, or making other customary browser inputs. The encoded sourcemay comprise an Internet web page, Intranet web page, locally storeddocument, or other hypermedia source. Optionally, the hypermedia sourcemay employ a markup language such as HTML, SGML, XML, or another markuplanguage. The operation 404 a repeats continually as long as the browser102 a is active.

Cursor Over; Displaying Tentative Opinion

In step 405, the browser determines that the cursor has moved over afeedback object, as defined by 104 b. At this point, step 405 may alsoprovide an optional enhancement to the presentation of the content bythe browser 102 a. This embodiment is implemented in the case wherecursor position is the aspect of the SELECT function used to indicateuser opinion. This enhancement is not used, for example, where SELECTduration is used to indicate user opinion.

In the optional enhancement to step 405, the browser 102 a and tool 104cooperatively display a tentative user opinion whenever the cursor 602is positioned over a feedback object (such as hyperlink 508) prior touser activation of the SELECT function. In one embodiment, the foregoingfeature may additionally constitute the notice specified by step 404,i.e., they are one in the same; alternatively, notice may be givenseparately of this feature.

More particularly, whenever components 102 a/104 determine when thecursor 602 is positioned over a feedback object, the tool 104 respondsby utilizing the feedback mapping 104 a to translate cursor positioninto the corresponding user opinion. The tool 104 then instructs thebrowser 102 a to provide a continually updated display 604 ofuser-indicated opinion corresponding to the current cursor position.This aids the user by indicating what his/her opinion would be, weres/he to perform a SELECT action at that cursor position.

In the present example, the displayed tentative user opinion 604 (FIG.6) indicates that, should the user perform a SELECT, then s/he wouldenter a negative opinion of the current content page.

Receiving User's SELECT

With the cursor lying over a feedback object (step 405), the tool 104 instep 406 determines whether the user has performed a SELECT functionupon any feedback object of the current page. In one example, step 406involves the browser 102 a using information supplied by the pointingdevice software 114 to recognize when the user has positioned the cursor602 over a feedback object (such as the hyperlink 508) and performed aSELECT function such as clicking one or more mouse buttons, tapping the“enter” or another keyboard key, etc. The browser 102 a also usesinformation supplied by the pointing device software 114 to recognizethe cursor position upon the feedback object at the moment of the SELECTaction. The browser 102 a provides the tool 104 with a representativesignal advising the tool 104 that the user has SELECTED a feedbackobject. The browser 102 a also provides the tool 104 with arepresentative signal advising the tool 104 of the prescribed aspects ofthe user's SELECT action, such as (1) the position upon the object 508where SELECTION was made, (2) the duration of the SELECT action, (2) themouse button used to SELECT, or another indication of user opinion notnecessarily related to position within the feedback object.

Discontinuing Tentative Opinion

As a counterpart to step 405, step 406 a determines whether the cursorhas left the current feedback object. If the cursor is still over thefeedback object, step 406 continues to examine whether a SELECT hasoccurred. On the other hand, if the cursor has left the current feedbackobject, then step 407 discontinues the tentative opinion display (suchas 604) that began in step 405. At this point, the display 604 isremoved because it is no longer relevant; the user has moved the cursorelsewhere.

Similarly, when step 406 finds that a SELECT has occurred (in theoptional embodiment employing the tentative opinion feature), then step407 discontinues the tentative opinion display responsive to the SELECT.At this point, the display 604 is removed because the opinion is nolonger tentative, since the browser is transitioning to the newlyselected content page.

Step 407 is omitted for implementations of the routine 400 where useropinion is indicated by a non-positional aspect of the SELECT action,such as mouse click duration, mouse button choice, etc.

Determine User's Opinion

Responsive notice from step 406 that the user positioned the cursor upona feedback object and activated a SELECT function, the tool 104 thenproceeds to determine the user-indicated opinion signified by the SELECTaction (step 408). Namely, the tool 104 applies the feedback mapping 104a to the designated aspect of the SELECT function, e.g. cursor positionwithin the feedback object at the moment of SELECT, mouse clickduration, mouse button choice, etc. In other words, the feedback mapping104 a is used to map the designated characteristic of the SELECTfunction into a representative user opinion.

The routine 400 correlates the user's opinion with a particular contentunit of the hypermedia source. The type of content unit depends upon themanner in which the routine 400 is implemented, which may occur indifferent embodiments. For example, when determining the user's opinion(step 408), the tool 104 may be programmed to associate that opinionwith one of the following content units: (1) the current page, namely,the page of hypermedia content containing the feedback object SELECTEDby the user, (2) the entire hypermedia document, or a logical orfunctional subset of pages including the current page that contains thefeedback object SELECTED by the user, (3) the entire Internet orIntranet web site containing the source page with the user-selectedfeedback object, (4) a subset of the Internet or Intranet web sitecontaining the user-selected feedback object, such as a subset of theweb site relating to a particular subject matter, or (5) another unit.

Thus, the user's SELECT operation may convey the user's sentiment aboutthe current hypermedia page as the user leaves that page, or a moregeneralized sentiment concerning some or all of the hypermedia sourcedocument regardless of whether the user is leaving or entering aparticular hypermedia page. In the illustrated embodiment, without anylimitation, the significance of the user's SELECT operation is preset,e.g. fixedly associated with one particular class of content unit,depending upon how the routine 400 is written and installed.

Storing a Record

Step 410 initiates storage of the user opinion obtained from step 408.For instance, the engine 102 may transmit an instruction to write theuser opinion to storage, or the engine 102 may perform the storageitself.

Storage may occur locally at the computer 108, remotely at anothercomputer 116, or at another site. Step 410 is performed by the tool 104,the engine 102, browser 102 a, another module 112, or a combination ofthe foregoing. Storage may be conducted in the form of any machinereadable record such as ASCII file, binary file, memory address, sector,XML file, document, memory register, page, linked list, relationaldatabase, or any other desired data structure or physical storageconstruct.

Other Embodiments

While the foregoing disclosure shows a number of illustrativeembodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art thatvarious changes and modifications can be made herein without departingfrom the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.Furthermore, although elements of the invention may be described orclaimed in the singular, the plural is contemplated unless limitation tothe singular is explicitly stated. Additionally, ordinarily skilledartisans will recognize that operational sequences must be set forth insome specific order for the purpose of explanation and claiming, but thepresent invention contemplates various changes beyond such specificorder.

In addition, those of ordinary skill in the relevant art will understandthat information and signals may be represented using a variety ofdifferent technologies and techniques. For example, any data,instructions, commands, information, signals, bits, symbols, and chipsreferenced herein may be represented by voltages, currents,electromagnetic waves, magnetic fields or particles, optical fields orparticles, other items, or a combination of the foregoing.

Moreover, ordinarily skilled artisans will appreciate that anyillustrative logical blocks, modules, circuits, and process stepsdescribed herein may be implemented as electronic hardware, computersoftware, or combinations of both. To clearly illustrate thisinterchangeability of hardware and software, various illustrativecomponents, blocks, modules, circuits, and steps have been describedabove generally in terms of their functionality. Whether suchfunctionality is implemented as hardware or software depends upon theparticular application and design constraints imposed on the overallsystem. Skilled artisans may implement the described functionality invarying ways for each particular application, but such implementationdecisions should not be interpreted as causing a departure from thescope of the present invention.

The various illustrative logical blocks, modules, and circuits describedin connection with the embodiments disclosed herein may be implementedor performed with a general purpose processor, a digital signalprocessor (DSP), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), afield programmable gate array (FPGA) or other programmable logic device,discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or anycombination thereof designed to perform the functions described herein.A general purpose processor may be a microprocessor, but in thealternative, the processor may be any conventional processor,controller, microcontroller, or state machine. A processor may also beimplemented as a combination of computing devices, e.g. a combination ofa DSP and a microprocessor, a plurality of microprocessors, one or moremicroprocessors in conjunction with a DSP core, or any other suchconfiguration.

The steps of a method or algorithm described in connection with theembodiments disclosed herein may be embodied directly in hardware, in asoftware module executed by a processor, or in a combination of the two.A software module may reside in RAM memory, flash memory, ROM memory,EPROM memory, EEPROM memory, registers, hard disk, a removable disk, aCD-ROM, or any other form of storage medium known in the art. Anexemplary storage medium is coupled to the processor such the processorcan read information from, and write information to, the storage medium.In the alternative, the storage medium may be integral to the processor.The processor and the storage medium may reside in an ASIC.

The previous description of the disclosed embodiments is provided toenable any person skilled in the art to make or use the presentinvention. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readilyapparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles definedherein may be applied to other embodiments without departing from thespirit or scope of the invention. Thus, the present invention is notintended to be limited to the embodiments shown herein but is to beaccorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novelfeatures disclosed herein.

1. A computer implemented method for a user's hypermedia browsing systemto gather the user's feedback as to hypermedia content presented by thehypermedia browsing system to the user, comprising operations of:configuring the hypermedia browsing system to pre-establish differentregions of hypermedia navigation objects presented by the hypermediabrowsing system, and to recognize a preestablished mapping correlatingthe different regions with different respective user-indicated opinionsof hypermedia content presented by the hypermedia browsing system;wherein the pre-established different regions are free from any visiblefeatures distinguishing the regions from each other; responsive to auser performing a predetermined SELECT function as to a user-selectedhypermedia navigation object, the user's hypermedia browsing systemperforming operations comprising: identifying one of the pre-establishedregions of the given hypermedia navigation object by which the userexecuted the SELECT function; conducting hypermedia navigationoperations to carry out the SELECT function; withholding theidentification of the pre-established region from hypermedia sitespresented by the hypermedia browsing system; applying the preestablishedmapping to the identified region to determine user-indicated opinion ofthe hypermedia content being presented; initiating storage of amachine-readable record of the ascertained user-indicated opinion. 2.The method of claim 1, where: the operation of identifying one of thepre-established regions of the given navigation object by which the userexecuted the SELECT function comprises: determining which of thedifferent regions contains a user-positioned cursor at a moment ofperforming the SELECT function.
 3. The method of claim 2, where theoperations further comprise: whenever the user-positioned cursor residesover a hypermedia navigation object without executing the SELECTfunction, substantially continuously performing operations comprising:applying the preestablished mapping to current cursor position; andproviding an undated display of user-indicated opinion resulting fromthe application of the preestablished mapping to current cursorposition.
 4. The method of claim 1, the SELECT function performed incontext of a current unit of hypermedia content presented by thehypermedia browsing system, the current content unit comprising any ofthe following: a page of hypermedia content containing the hypermedianavigation object; a hypermedia document containing multiple hypermediapages, the hypermedia navigation object residing in at least one of themultiple hypermedia pages; an Internet Web site; and a subset of anInternet Web page including multiple Web pages.
 5. The method of claim1, the predetermined types of hypermedia navigation objects comprisingany of the following: a web browser “back” button; a web browser“forward” button; a prescribed pull-down menu entries; a radio button; acheck box; a hyperlinked image; and hyperlinked text.
 6. The method ofclaim 1, further comprising providing notice available to a userexplaining the preestablished mapping, by performing one or more of thefollowing: providing an explanation in a browser help file; providing anon-demand help window; displaying the notice in any of the following: atoolbar and a status bar; posting an advisory upon browser startup. 7.The method of claim 1, the operation of initiating storage comprisingany of the following: storing the record locally upon the user'scomputer; and transmitting the record to a remote computer.
 8. Themethod of claim 1, further comprising operations of: receiving userinput defining or enhancing the preestablished mapping.
 9. The method ofclaim 1, where the configuring operations is limited to predeterminedtypes of hypermedia navigation objects, and the operations furtherinclude receiving user input defining or enhancing definition of thepredetermined types of hypermedia navigation objects.
 10. The method ofclaim 1, where: the preestablished mapping is defined by a continuum ofdifferent user-indicated opinions proportional to a horizontal orvertical or horizontal and vertical position within a hypermedianavigation object.
 11. The method of claim 1, where the hypermediabrowsing system acts to universally recognize said regions and saidpreestablished mapping across different sources of hypermedia contentindependent content and other information received from sources of saidhypermedia content.
 12. The method of claim 1, where the user'shypermedia browsing system is implemented in an environment local to theuser.
 13. A computer-implemented method for modifying a user'shypermedia browsing system to gather the user's feedback as tohypermedia content presented by the hypermedia browsing system to theuser, the method comprising: modifying the browser by adding programmodules configured to perform operations comprising: configuring thehypermedia browsing system to pre-establish different regions ofhypermedia navigation objects presented by the hypermedia browsingsystem, and to recognize a preestablished mapping correlating thedifferent regions with different respective user-indicated opinions ofhypermedia content presented by the hypermedia browsing system; whereinthe pre-established different regions are free from any visible featuresdistinguishing the regions from each other; responsive to a userperforming a predetermined SELECT function as to a user-selectedhypermedia navigation object, the user's hypermedia browsing systemperforming operations comprising: identifying one of the pre-establishedregions of the given hypermedia navigation object by which the usercarried out the SELECT function; conducting hypermedia navigationoperations to carry out the SELECT function; withholding theidentification of the pre-established region from hypermedia sitespresented by the hypermedia browsing system; applying the preestablishedmapping to the identified region to determine user-indicated opinion ofthe hypermedia content being presented; initiating storage of amachine-readable record of the ascertained user-indicated opinion. 14.The method of claim 13, further comprising acts to cause the browser touniversally recognize said regions and said preestablished mappingindependent of the hypermedia content units and other informationreceived from sources of said hypermedia content units.
 15. A computerimplemented method for a user's hypermedia browsing system to gather theuser's feedback as to hypermedia content presented by the hypermediabrowsing system to the user, comprising the steps of: a step forconfiguring the hypermedia browsing system to pre-establish differentregions of hypermedia navigation objects presented by the hypermediabrowsing system, and to recoginize a preestablished mapping correlatingthe different regions with different respective user-indicated opinionsof hypermedia content presented by the hypermedia browsing system;wherein the pre-established different regions are free from any visiblefeatures distinguishing the regions from each other; responsive to auser performing a predetermined SELECT function as to a user-selectedhypermedia navigation object, the user's hypermedia browsing systemperforming operations comprising: a step for identifying one of thepre-established regions of the given hypermedia navigation object bywhich the user carried out the SELECT function; a step for conductinghypermedia navigation operations to carry out the SELECT function; astep for withhold the identification of the pre-established region fromhypermedia sites presented by the hypermedia browsing system; a step forapplying the preestablished mapping to the identified region todetermine user-indicated opinion of the hypermedia content beingpresented; a step for initiating storage of a machine-readable record ofthe ascertained user-indicated opinion.
 16. A computer apparatus,comprising: digital data storage; coupled to the digital data storage, adigital data processor programmed to implement a hypermedia browsingsystem; where the hypermedia browsing system is configured to gather theuser's feedback as to hypermedia content presented by the hypermediabrowsing system to the user by performing operations comprising:configuring the hypermedia browsing system to pre-establish differentregions of hypermedia navigation objects presented by the hypermediabrowsing system, and to recognize a preestablished mapping correlatingthe different regions with different respective user-indicated opinionsof hypermedia content presented by the hypermedia browsing system;wherein the pre-established different regions are free from any visiblefeatures distinguishing the regions from each other; responsive to auser performing a predetermined SELECT function as to a user-selectedhypermedia navigation object, the user's hypermedia browsing systemperforming operations comprising: identifying one of the pre-establishedregions of the given hypermedia navigation object by which the usercarried out the SELECT function; conducting hypermedia navigationoperations to carry out the SELECT function; withholding theidentification of the pre-established region from hypermedia sitespresented by the hypermedia browsing system; applying the preestablishedmapping to the identified region to determine user-indicated opinion ofthe hypermedia content being presented; initiating storage of amachine-readable record of the ascertained user-indicated opinion.
 17. Acomputer-implemented method of operating a browser to view hypermediacontent, the method comprising the following operations: the browserdisplaying content from a hypermedia site, the content containing ahypermedia navigation item having a prescribed navigation functionprescribed by the hypermedia site; independent of the prescribedfunction prescribed by the hypermedia site, the browser self-designatingmultiple regions of the hypermedia navigation item, where the designatedregions are free from any features visually distinguishing the regionsfrom each other; the browser locally monitoring which one of saidregions a user employs to select the hypermedia navigation item in orderto invoke the prescribed navigation function prescribed by thehypermedia site, and applying a predetermined mapping to determine userfeedback as to the hypermedia content being viewed according to whichregion the user employed to select the navigation item; the browserwithholding the feedback from the hypermedia site being viewed; and thebrowser causing storage of a machine-readable record of the userfeedback.
 18. A computer-implemented method of operating a browser toview hypermedia content, the method comprising the following steps: astep for the browser displaying content from a hypermedia site, thecontent containing a hypermedia navigation item having a prescribednavigation function prescribed by the hypermedia site; a step forindependent of the prescribed function prescribed by the hypermediasite, the browser self-designating multiple regions of the hypermedianavigation item, where the designated regions are free from any featuresvisually distinguishing the regions from each other; a step for thebrowser locally monitoring which one of said regions a user employs toselect the hypermedia navigation item in order to invoke the prescribednavigation function prescribed by the hypermedia site, and applying apredetermined mapping to determine user feedback as to the hypermediacontent being viewed according to which region the user employed toselect the navigation item; a step for the browser withholding thefeedback from the hypermedia site being viewed; and a step for thebrowser causing storage of a machine-readable record of the userfeedback.
 19. A computer apparatus, comprising: digital data storage;coupled to the digital data storage, a digital data processor programmedto operate a browser to view hypermedia content according to thefollowing operations: the browser displaying content of a hypermediasite, the content containing a hypermedia navigation item having aprescribed navigation function prescribed by the hypermedia site;independent of the prescribed function prescribed by the hypermediasite, the browser self-designating multiple regions of the hypermedianavigation item, where the designated regions are free from any featuresvisually distinguishing the regions from each other; the browser locallymonitoring which one of said regions a user employs to select thehypermedia navigation item in order to invoke the prescribed navigationfunction prescribed by the hypermedia site, and applying a predeterminedmapping to determine user feedback as to the hypermedia content beingviewed according to which region the user employed to select thenavigation item; the browser withhold the feedback from the hypermediasite being viewed; and the browser causing storage of a machine-readablerecord of the user feedback.
 20. At least one computer readable storagemedium containing at least one program of machine-readable instructionsexecutable by a digital data processing apparatus to perform operationsfor gathering user feedback, the operations comprising the methods ofany of claims 1 or 17.